A compilation of daily news articles from around the United States about deaths (including both people and animals) that appear to occur in the context of a past or present intimate relationship, focusing on 2009-present. (NOTE: this blog is limited to incidents that appear in the media and are captured by our search terms. We recognize this is not an exhaustive portrayal of all deaths resulting from intimate violence.)
When is society going to realize intimate violence makes victims of us all?

Monday, July 12, 2010

Michael Joseph Monson Jr. went on the lam for 45 days after his ex-girlfriend's mother's boyfriend was shot and killed April 6 in Colton.
Although he admits he fired the shot that killed 52-year-old Jose Luis Moya, Monson says he fired three warning shots when Moya charged him with a knife. A fourth, and fatal, shot hit the victim in the head.

"It was not a premeditated (killing)," Monson said. "I never wanted to kill nobody."

Police and the District Attorney's Office don't believe his story and have charged him with murder.

Monson, 25, fled immediately after the shooting and evaded police before being captured May 20.

He said sleep was hard to come by while hiding out. He could only muster a few hours a day because he feared for his life. At least twice, Monson called The Sun and said he was afraid to turn himself in.

He said he was convinced police would try to kill him if they found him based on previous experiences of police harassment, comments police made to his family and a news release issued by the Colton Police Department.

The release said Monson had reportedly once told a booking deputy he would "shoot it out if contacted by police."

Monson said he never made the comment. He thought the comment was included so police would have an excuse to shoot him if he was captured.